DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 259, 25 October 1928, Page 5

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

; headmasters confer. j .Junior System Supported. Example of Matamata. ■On Saturday last there took place •at Te Kuiti a conference of headmasters of District High Schools of South Auckland; who met to discuss the relation of the new syllabus to •the present organisation of the .schools. This was probably the' first meeting of District High School headmasters ever held in New Zea-i land to consider the organisation and conditions 6f schools of this type ■ and is significant of the important place our District High Schools are assuming. Headmasters of all District High Schools in the widely scattered district from Matamata to Taumarunui attended. The following were present: Messrs. W. Smith (Te Kuiti, in the chair), J. H. Lynskey (Taumarunui), H. D. Prichard (Cambridge), J. F. Wells (Matamata Junior High), A. J. Shepherd (Te Awamutu), P. F. Skinner (Otorohanga) and K. S. .Webster (Pio Pio). In his opening remarks the chairman (Mr. W. Smith) said that it showed a genuine interest in the problems confronting District High Schools when headmasters were pre-

pared to travel long distances .to meet in conference. District High Schools were an important link in the ■educational chain. In the past these schools had achieved surprising results, considering the disabilities in accommodation, staffing and equipment they in too many cases suffered from. It was a tribute to the zeal and high sense of duty of the teachers in our secondary departments that their results in many instances were equal if not superior to

those of the secondary schools, which laboured under no such disadvantages. It was advisable that headmasters of district high schools, who ixad perhaps been rather inarticulate in the. past, should express an opinion as to how best the organisation of their schools could be modified to meet present-day needs. Consideration should be given also to the un-

reasonable disproportion existing between the remuneration of heads of district high schools and of secondary schools.

The gathering was well qualified to jgxpress an opinion upon how best to meet the justifiable demand for an earlier beginning in secondary •work. Not only were the headmasters of a number of the largest district high schools in the Dominion present, "but also gentlemen who had had actual experience of the junior high school plan and of the working of consolidation. He would ask Mr. Prichard to open the discussion, which he hoped would result in definite recommendations being made. Speaking- from experience of what could be done under the junior high school system, Mr. H. D. Prichard (Cambridge) was strongly of opinion that the solution of the problem lay in the adoption of that plan in one -form or another to suit local conditions. The introduction of such subjects at mathematics and French into the primary school would not achieve results comparable with those to be obtained under the more specialised teaching of such a system. But the question was a broader one than this. In primary schools as at present organised there could not be a variety of courses to suit varying ability, or the exploratory courses which were a feature of the junior high school plan. There was the further important consideration that, as now generally acknowledged, there should be a departure, at the age of 11 to 12 years, from the primary school to post-primary schools more suited to the early adolescent. This -was a problem we had to face sooner or later, and it was one which could be solved with comparative ease in district high schools, where standard 5 and standard 6 could be incorporated in the secondary department and there taught, as far as numbers allowed, upon the broad lines of the junior high school. Of course, up to % a point, the larger the numbers the greater the variety of courses and the greater the degree of specialisation possible. This was one argument for the consolidated junior high school m country districts ; but of course the best reason for that lay in t e e^ e -fits to be received by children living In out of the way places. However, much could be done wi - •out consolidation, which might not e immediately practicable. In the case of Cambridge, for example, where the committee had already made representations for standards 5 and 6 t r be transferred to the secondary department, members would admit of #the organisation of academic and :A, non-academic classes in each of the proposed forms I. and 11. ; but even If members did not admit ef ibis

The Tennis Afternoon at Mr. Flvger’s has been postponed till a later date. ' - -

secondary subjects could be best begun under the more specialised teaching and elastic organisation of the secondary department. Mr. J. F. Wells (Matamata Junior High School) outlined the organisation of the consolidated junior high school, which he felt would he much

better than simply the addition of certain secondary subjects to those of standards 5 and 6. Mr. Wells showed that consolidation for older children was completely successful and popular with both parents and pupils. He found that he was able to divide the standards 5 and 6 pupils into A and B classes in each case, the former doing mathematics land French, the latter additional handwork and commercial subjects, while both did an hour of science (agriculture or hygiene) more than if in the primary school. The B classes (non-academic) were by no means unpopular, the tendency being for the boys and girls to favour the classes with the extra woodwork, cookery and laundrywork and commercial subjects. He felt that the additional agriculture, if extended in senior forms, would enable our district high schools to develop into agricultural high schools with an academic side. Another important aspect of the plan- was that bringing the boys and girls into the secondary department two years earlier resulted in many more than formerly continuing their schooling in forms 111. to V. Mr. Wells was confident that in cases where standards 5 and 6. were sufficiently large to create non-academic as well as academic sections in each class very effective junior high school work could be done with these pupils in forms I. and 11. even without consolidation. The latter was, however, desirable .both' for the increased specialisation it rendered possible and to bring the senior pupils of the small country schools within the am' : of the junior high school at the initial stage. Mr. R. S. Webster (Piopio Consolidated School) was of opinion that there would be little difficulty in the creation of the junior department at Piopio, except the lack of manual training facilities. He had found that in practice consolidation was successful, not only with the older children, but also with the very youngest infants. Pupils were conveyed to and from school with expedition, and attendance was more regular and the teaching more efficient under consolidation.

There was a consensus of opinion that the movement to transfer pupils j from the senior classes of the primary establishments was on sound lines, and after a full discussion of the difficulties in the way and the advantages to be gained the following resolutions were carried unanimously:— 1. This conference approves the principle of the transference of standards 5 and 6 pupils from primary to post-primary institutions. 2. The present organisation of district high schools, with primary

and secondary departments under one headmaster, may readily be modified to include junior high school classes. 3. In rural districts secondary departments of district high schools should where possible be centres fo.r consolidated junior high schools. 4. In localities where consolidation is not practicable standards 5 and 6 of the district high school should be transferred to the secondary department and there taught, as far as possible, upon the broad lines of the junior high school. 5. That the salaries of assistant teachers of junior and senior secondary classes in district high schools should be equal to those of assistants doing similar work in the junior and senior departments of secondary schools.

Following a full consideration of the inequitable remuneration of headmasters of district high and junior high schools it was resolved that, having regard to the qualifications required and to the duties and responsibilities of their positions, headmasters of district high and junior high schools are inadequately paid, and their remuneration should approximate much more closely to that of headmasters of secondary schools. It was further agreed that headmasters of consolidated schools, who are controlling transport officers, should be relieved of this work as soon as possible, and that meantime adequate compensation be paid, this to be retrospective. It was decided that the resol"Hc.ns

of the conference be sent through the New Zealand Educational Institute to the Minister of Education. Before the meeting concluded it was agreed that similar conferences v-r. held periodically, the next to take .■.1,1 oe at Te Awamutu early in February.

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